- 2024 Ballon d’or race between Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe
Jude Bellingham settled the tie in another El Clásico on Sunday. Fans are raving about him again, and deservedly so. The English midfielder has been phenomenal for Real Madrid this season.
A true £100m+ signing. Bellingham has shown the reason why Real Madrid went all out for him last summer. Scoring 21 goals and providing 10 assists from midfield is fantastic, but his overall impact, and work rate are even more commendable.
His performances this season puts him at the top of almost every power ranking for footballers in 2024. That means Ballon d’or dreams are very realistic for him. However, looking at the rest of the season, and the season statistics so far, Kylian Mbappe is likely to win the Ballon d’or over Bellingham.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but Already Mbappe looks like Bellingham’s biggest rival to the coveted award. The French forward will win the Ligue 1 with PSG this year, he has already scored 41 goals and provided 9 assists this season in 42 appearances.
Mbappe and PSG are also in the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League. The Parisians will face Borussia Dortmund as favourites to reach the final.
What It Might Take
Real Madrid are also champions elect in La Liga, and they will face Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich in the semifinals of the UCL. The best player of a team that wins the Champions League usually gains an advantage in Ballon d’Or rankings, and Bellingham’s Real Madrid are always the favourites when it comes to the UCL.
Mbappe and Bellingham’s performance at the upcoming EURO 2024 will also be key. Historically, France have often done better than England in this competition, and it will not be surprising to see Mbappe lead the French national team to another impressive Euro finish.
There are still some important matches to be played before a clear favourite emerge. However, Mbappe has the stats for the award over Jude Bellingham, and he just needs to back it up with important trophies and performances in key moments.
